Klaine Advent Collection 2014 - You Gave Me Yours To Keep
by gg42
Summary: Tumblr ran a Klaine Advent Drabble Challenge (2014) in December and this is a collection of the prompts and my attempts to fill them. All of them take place between the end of season 5 and the mid-point of season 6 and are collectively titled You Gave Me Yours To Keep. This is a sequel to I Left My Heart In Your Hands.


**Pairing**: Kurt/Blaine

**Rating**: PG-13  
><strong>Summary<strong>: This collection of short stories all roll into one larger exploration of the time and experiences between the end of season five and mid-point of season 6 showing how the boys did and did not manage their expectations of each other and their pending marriage in that time frame.

**Warnings**: Reference to a previous violent assault in s5e15 in the first chapter, and spoilers for season 6 throughout.

Chapter 1: Sinking

Prompt: Ache

The ache in Blaine's foot intensified, radiating up his shin and making him change his stance yet again. Tucked in the doorway of the little Italian restaurant that had quickly become a favorite haunt, Blaine watched the rain hammer the sidewalk and hoped his fiancé wouldn't be too much longer.

He checked his watch again and frowned. Twenty-three minutes and counting. He clicked the button on his phone, checking for messages but there were none.

They were going to miss their reservations at this rate. The damp of his jacket sent a chill through his shoulders. Blaine jiggled his loose foot anxiously before making the decision to get out of the cold.

Inside the quaint restaurant, Blaine slipped his jacket over the back of the chair and placed his phone on the table so as not to miss a call or a text. He ordered a glass of a Cabernet Sauvignon and toyed with a breadstick while he waited for Kurt. He stared at the lit candle on their corner table and prayed silently that nothing had happened to his fiancé.

_Please don't let him be lying in an alley somewhere, hurt, bleeding. Not again._

Blaine's hand trembled as he raised his glass, and he swallowed down the bold, smooth wine along with the fear that had begun to swell in his chest. The comforting voice in the back of his mind that sounded a lot like Burt Hummel piped up.

_He's okay. It's not like that. He knows how to look after himself. _

Blaine closed his eyes and took another pull of alcohol and tried to drown out his own jaded voice.

_He's forgotten. Isn't the anniversary of our engagement important enough to remember? Apparently, _I'm_ not even important to remember any more._

The bell above the front door tinkled and Blaine's eyes shot open in hope. He sat up straighter and waited for the Kurt to appear in the doorway, water-logged yet flashing a rueful smile. But it wasn't Kurt, and his whole body sagged as a couple of laughing students piled through the door instead. He sent another silent plea into the ether.

_Please don't let this be like last time. Don't let him brush this off. I don't want to fight. Not again._

He checked his watch once more. Forty-five minutes and counting. His phone remained dark and silent.

If only this was the first time.

Chapter 2: Taking on Water

Prompt: Balance

With every footstep through the puddles, water sprayed out ahead of Blaine in a mesmerizing shower of droplets, helping him to forget what he was walking towards. Rain dripped off the short curls at the nape of his neck and dribbled over the collar of his already saturated polo shirt. He relished the way the soft bulbous droplets had turned into incessant rivulets running over his knuckles and to stream off his fingertips.

Blaine rounded the final corner. Another four blocks stood between him and the loft. He still thought of it as 'the loft' not 'their loft' or even as 'their home'. It was still Kurt's in a way that was never, and could never be, Blaine's as well. The effort it took to share the space with Kurt, even after Santana had moved out, irked him. It was a like walking a tight-rope only he was somehow off-balance. It felt like he always had to fight to maintain his presence there, like if he let Kurt get his way with everything he wanted then the even the smallest of Blaine's belongings would disappear and be packed away.

_It shouldn't be this hard. Why is this so hard?_

A cab whizzed by in a blur of yellow, sending a wall of water flying high, showering over him and sending a shiver through his body. Red tail lights burned bright in the dark street and Blaine wiped a wet hand over his face, blinking away the excess water from his puffy eyes.

He should have grabbed his coat this morning. He'd considered it but it threw off his outfit, at least so Kurt had said. Of course he'd also left the black fold-up umbrella on the side table in the rush not to be late for class. He wondered if Kurt had taken it instead. No sense for both of them to be wet and miserable. Blaine scoffed and rolled his eyes at that.

_Who was he kidding? Kurt wasn't miserable. Wherever he was, Kurt was not miserable._

In the distance, the taxi's brakes squealed as it came to a halt.

He glanced up, surprised to see the cab reversing towards him. It screeched to another quick stop and the back door closest to the pavement was flung open. A black umbrella unfurled and popped open, and in that moment Blaine lost his footing.

Chapter 3: Floating

Prompt: Cloud

Kurt hummed to himself quietly as he sat in the back of his taxi. His body was loose and relaxed. The extra hours in the dance studio tonight had done wonders to put his usually whirring mind at peace. Instead of the worry that had been nagging at him for the past six months, he was practically floating on a cloud.

The cab turned the corner on the last stretch home, making the umbrella that had been set beside his cake box roll and bump into his hand. It sent a pang of guilt up his spine as he remembered the tiny wrinkle on his fiancé's brow when he'd clicked his tongue at Blaine's coat selection this morning. Then, of course, in the rush to get out of the door and, most likely, away from him, Blaine had left his umbrella behind even after Kurt had reminded him it was supposed to rain.

He sighed in resignation. Hopefully, Blaine had made it home before the rain had started. Kurt bristled at the thought of being blamed for one more thing that wasn't his fault, yet the pang quickly ballooned into a ball of tangled, guilt-ridden, yarn that made his gut ache. It _was_ a dreadful stormy night, but he did have the umbrella _and_ a coat, and probably shouldn't have splurged on a cab all the way from the practice rooms, even if he was infinitely drier and happier than the poor guy he spotted trudging through the pouring rain.

Kurt's gaze stayed on the pedestrian as they drove past him, curious as to who would be crazy enough to walk in this weather. There was something familiar about the shape of him, and it made Kurt twist in his seat as they came level but when the car hit a large puddle and threw up surge of water over the already downtrodden man, he winced in sympathy. His head whipped around to check that the stranger was still standing after the deluge and there, in the dull glow of brake lights, Kurt saw it; a familiar gesture.

With a single swipe of a hand, Kurt realized exactly who was he was in the process of leaving behind in more ways than one, and the shock of it stunned him until he finally cried out.

"Stop!"

Chapter 4: Lethargy

Prompt: Dessert

"_Blaine_," Kurt called out from the cab, umbrella held high. "What on earth-?" Three strides brought him close enough to drenched heap on the sidewalk that was his fiancé. "Are you okay?" He quickly offered his hand to help Blaine up. "C'mon, honey. Let me get you into the cab. We'll go home. You shower and I'll fix dinner. It'll be…nice."

"I've had dinner," Blaine grumbled while being hauled upright.

"Oh-kay." Kurt took in the berry colored suit plastered to Blaine's body, his favorite of Topman suits in his fiancé's collection thanks to the very slim fit pants. He must have been home and gotten changed earlier. Kurt frowned to himself, wondering why his fiancé would bother to dress up for dinner without him and, even stranger, be willing to ruin said suit in this downpour. "God, look at you," he said in frustration. It was going to take some work to get that suit back up to scratch.

Blaine jerked his arm away and pulled at the hem of his jacket self-consciously while glaring at the pavement.

"Are you okay?"

Blaine huffed and finally met Kurt's gaze. "No. No, I'm not okay."

"Did something happen? What-? Are you hurt?" Kurt's free hand immediately reached out, trying to put his arm around his fiancé, except Blaine sidestepped him. "Honey," Kurt said, alarmed. In the silence, dulled only by the constant rainfall, his imagination flicked from one awful scenario to another. "_Honey_. What's wrong?"

"Where were you?" Blaine asked quietly. "Tonight. Where were you?"

Kurt frowned, his eyes darting to the side as he thought of the impromptu rehearsal he'd called with his dance partners. "School," he said with a little more bite than he'd intended. He'd done nothing wrong. There was nothing – no one – to be jealous of. Scott, Julia and Kini had been surprised but willing to practice their group recital when Kurt had suggested it after this morning's class, especially once Ms. July had dropped the bomb today that it would be worth half their grade.

"I'm sure," Blaine grumbled with a soft disparaging snort.

"What the hell is going on with you?" Kurt glanced back to the still waiting taxi, hoping the driver wasn't just going to take off and leave him, _them_, there. Not to mention, he'd left dessert on the back seat. He'd been hoping to surprise Blaine with the pastries. Things had been so tense lately. It would've been nice to just have enjoyed each other's company for a change, but taking one look at Blaine, standing defensively in the pouring rain with a scowl, that plan was already shot to pieces.

Oh. Shit.

Kurt's hand shot out between them, positioning the umbrella over them both. "Sorry."

"Is that it?" Blaine's dark rain-wild eyes searched his face. "Seriously? That's it. _That's_ all you're apologizing for?"

"Oh my god. Can you just get in the car, Blaine? We can fight at home. Where it's warm. And _dry!_" Kurt rolled his eyes and put his hand on his hip. "And then you can tell me exactly what I've done to make you unhappy, _today_."

Blaine shook his head, disappointed, his mouth down-turned. His gold-flecked eyes shone with unshed tears as he looked at Kurt, and Kurt's mouth went dry at the heart-wrenching distress that Blaine was obviously in. Something was terribly wrong. In fact, something had been wrong for so long that they didn't know how to exist any other way with each other. Kurt's heart dropped. He waited, terrified of what Blaine was going to say, terrified of what he might come back with. Of all the weapons in his own arsenal, words were what he was most skilled at, the weapon that he used indiscriminately in anger to hurt those that he loved, the ones he used to cut most deeply - especially with Blaine. When it came to fists or fencing, Blaine was well armoured. Ready to fight. But with words, Blaine was vulnerable. And when it came to Kurt, he was weak.

Kurt waited. Scared to breathe. Waiting for the first jab. Ready with the parry and thrust.

"I shouldn't have to tell you."

Kurt waited. He skin prickled with the cold. From the rain. From the man he loved.

"It's like you don't even care."

Kurt set his defences. Took aim. And fired.

Chapter 5: Go With The Flow

Prompt: Evening

Roneel tapped out a beat on his steering wheel, drumming in time to the music playing quietly in his taxi. He wished his passenger would hurry up as he glanced at the rear view mirror for possibly the seventy-eighth time. He cringed at what he saw; both men on the verge of an argument. He muttered a Shanti mantra under his breath and hoped that they'd both calm down so that at least the tall one would get back into the cab.

Even with the wicked weather tonight, Roneel's evening had been quiet. Everyone with any sense had gotten themselves out of the rain much earlier. He had been surprised to see a man walking along, without an umbrella or even a coat, and he'd been even more surprised when his passenger had demanded he stop and go back for the man on the street. Not wanting any trouble, Roneel had hesitated until the young man had told him that he knew the guy, and so he'd relented, putting the car into reverse.

"Shanti. Shanti. Shanti," Roneel said a little louder, finishing his prayer for peace. Giving up on the mirror, he twisted himself around and spied the box abandoned on the back seat. He wondered what kind of treat was in it and then, belatedly, whether it would seep through the box on his seats. Bored, he shot the two men another glance and sighed. Now they were yelling at each other - and both getting wet. They too will make a mess of his cab. He sent his thanks to Krishna for having the foresight to put a towel and wet wipes in the boot to wipe down the seats later.

Roneel turned to watch the road in front of him again. The rain was relentless tonight and he got lost in watching droplets bounce into the puddles on the street. Settling in, he turned up his stereo a little louder and watched the meter tick over. This evening was going to be a long one, and he hoped that his passenger would be able to cover the fare.

Chapter 6: Last Gasp

Prompt: Fall

"You don't even remember do you?"

"Remember what? I don't what the hell you're talking about?"

"Our anniversary, you jerk!"

"What? It's not…" Kurt stopped for a second, looking legitimately confused. "Anniversary of what exactly?" He asked warily.

Blaine was stunned. "You know what? Forget it! Just… Just forget it," he said with his anger deflating. He turned away, muttering to himself, "I should've known. Should've known."

"Hey! Don't do that! Don't play the martyr when I'm standing here trying to figure out _what's going on_."

Blaine hung his head, his hands finding his hips and he braced himself for the ugliness that could follow. He turned to face Kurt once more.

"We got engaged a year ago. A year, _Kurt_. One year. Exactly. And you might not have realized _why_ we were supposed to go out for dinner tonight but _you_ _said_ you'd meet me at the restaurant. _You said_ you'd clear your schedule. _You said_ there'd be no rehearsal tonight. And yet, the only thing you've done tonight is lie to me!"

"Whoa, calm down, psycho! First things first: I did not lie to you! Confirming dinner and then forgetting is not _lying_!"

"But it sure is convenient."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means; I bet I know who helped you forget."

"Scott? This is about Scott? Oh for god's sake! Blaine! He's a rehearsal partner. That's it!"

"I _bet_ he is."

"Are you crazy? I'm wearing your ring! Is that not enough for you?"

"NO! No, it's not enough! Because Scott's higher on your list of priorities that I am!"

"He needs to pass this class, Blaine, otherwise he's gonna fail!"

"So! That's his problem, not yours! Why is he so much more important than me? Than us?"

"He- He isn't."

"Clearly, he is, because I waited for an hour, Kurt. An hour! No phone call. No text. Nothing."

"I got caught up!_ I_ _forgot_! I'm sorry, okay!" They both paused, breathing heavily. Kurt exhaled heavily and said in an even tone, "If Scott fails, _I fail_." At that Blaine threw up his hands and rolled his eyes. "Oh my god! Why can't you just support me?"

"I DO! I do support you! Do I not make you breakfast? Do I not get the groceries? Am I not there to massage your shoulders when you need a study break? Am I not there at every one of your performances?"

"Yes! You. Are. Always. There. Blaine! That's part of the problem! I need space!"

"You need space? You! What about me? Do you know how hard it is to mock up a lighting plan when your fiancé's band stores all their equipment in the loft even though you haven't had a gig, let alone a rehearsal, in two months? Do you even fathom how annoying it is when I buy a something for the apartment and find the perfect space for it one week but by the next it's disappeared? Do you? Because I sure as shit do!"

"That lamp was hideous!"

"And the telescope? And the Ficus? And the photo of my dad?"

"I apologized for that!" Kurt snapped.

"Right. Yet none of those things ever made their way back, did they?"

"What's your point?!"

"That it's always all about you! And when it's not – it's about Scott, and your dad, and Rachel, and your band, and that ridiculous car seat in the living room that apparently can't compete with a Ficus!"

"So I'm not allowed to put myself first? That's ridiculous!"

"That's not what I'm saying! I'm saying I should be in the top two, at least, but where am I on that list, Kurt? Am I there at all?"

"You're insane!"

"Stop _doing_ that! I hate it when you do that! I am not crazy!"

"You're acting like it," Kurt mumbled. They both took another pause, the cold rain finally dampening their spirits. Blaine watched Kurt watch him.

_Why am I not enough for you? _

"Why can't you just love me? Why?"

"I DO! You _know_ I do!" Kurt lunged forward to grab one of Blaine's hands, the umbrella leaning sideways. "I _do_ love you."

"Maybe it's not enough," he lamented as Kurt's waterlogged hair started to wilt.

"…What are you saying?"

Blaine sucked in his trembling lower lip. "This isn't working, Kurt."

"I know." Kurt tried for a watery smile but faltered. He squeezed Blaine's hand in his.

"I want it to, but it's not."

"I know. Me too."

"I think…"

"Maybe we rushed into this..."

"…we should find another apartment," Blaine finished off lamely as he caught Kurt's meaning. "What?" he asked in shock. He could feel the light in his eyes dim and the hope in his heart fall away. "How could you say that!"

"What, that maybe we're too young? That maybe this shouldn't be so hard! That we're growing apart and not together!" Kurt cried out as Blaine yanked his hand free. He continued, determined. "I- I shouldn't have to wake up and worry about you and the state of 'us' every single day!" Blaine's chin wobbled while fresh tears rolled down his cheeks as Kurt sounded their death knell. "Maybe we'd be better off alone! Maybe- Maybe we should take a break!"

Blaine felt like he'd been slapped although Kurt remained still with the umbrella clutched in his shaking hand.

"Wait!" Kurt reached for him but Blaine automatically stepped backward, out of reach.

"How can you say that?" Blaine said brokenly. "Is that really what you want?"

Kurt tried to respond but couldn't find any words that Blaine wanted to hear.

"…Yes."

Chapter 7: Struggling

Prompt: Grace

"I can't believe this." Blaine reeled from Kurt's confession. "Is this a joke?" He asked incredulously, backing another two steps away from Kurt.

"Blaine, don't- We need to talk about this," Kurt pleaded.

"I don't think I can take anything else you have to say tonight, Kurt."

"_Blaine_. I- I-"

"No." Blaine shook his head in disbelief. "No, I think we're done." He glanced back up at Kurt, whose eyes had turned bright blue as his tears began to flow steadily. "Thank you, Kurt." His mouth was down-turned as he spat out the last words. "At least you had the good grace to be honest with me." He backed away, letting the night swallow him whole.

"_Bla-ine._"

Chapter 8: Flotsam

Prompt: Harmony

"Hold up." Artie sat stunned in his chair as Blaine dried off his face with a towel. "He said _what! _ Did he take a knock to the head? He's talking crazy!"

Blaine sighed and toed off his soaked shoes while trying to stay put on the other towel he was standing on. "He is. And yet not."

"Honestly, how can you say that? You guys just…_fit_." Artie interlocked the fingers on both his hands together passionately. "You always have. He's… He's like the harmony to your melody." Artie spun himself around and wheeled away to get some dry clothes for Blaine to wear for the night. "Each of you are okay on own but you're _always_ better together," he called over his shoulder. "Here, is Batman okay?" Artie tossed a pair of pajamas at him.

"Yeah." Blaine twisted the fabric in his hands for a moment, trying not to tear up again. "Thanks, man. I'll try not to take up too much room on the floor."

"Yeah…that's not happening. We can share. It'll make Tina jealous as hell."

Blaine hiccupped into a watery laugh and forced himself not to think about what Kurt might be doing at this very moment.

Chapter 9: Lost at Sea

Prompt: Imprint

Kurt held it together until the loft door closed, and even then he clapped a hand over his mouth to keep the sound of his sobs from making the situation real. If he could just keep himself together, maybe he could rescue the situation in the morning. As bad as he'd felt in the past few months trying to keep up the façade of their relationship, it paled in comparison to the sense of loss that he was feeling. The imprint of Blaine's heart was still upon his own and Kurt wondered how on earth he'd thought it would be for the best to sever them.

"_Oh god_."

What if there was no turning back.

"What have I done?" He whispered into the dark apartment. _"What have I done?"_

Chapter 10: Astray

Prompt: Jukebox

In the cold, hard light of day, Kurt realized that talking to Blaine was going to be a lot harder than he thought. A text from Artie late last night had put his mind at rest about where Blaine had disappeared to, but Kurt had expected to see him at school the next day, at the very least. However, it wasn't to be as easy as that.

The two classes they still shared on Friday mornings were ones that Kurt had to endure alone. Before now he hadn't understood how much he was reassured by Blaine's presence. Even if they'd avoided one another in class, Kurt knew he was there. His presence was a comfort and the shared smirk over a familiar joke, a safe harbour in the dangerous waters of NYADA.

It wasn't until Kurt turned up at their Stage Combat class in the afternoon that he knew just how big the hole he'd been digging for himself over the last few months was.

"Hey, you've finally lost your shadow," remarked Raj, Kurt's sometime sparring partner, who was as tall and strapping as ever.

"Pardon?"

"Maybe this time you'll come out for a drink with us after class," hinted Kurt's current scene partner, Colin, sending a wink in Kurt's direction.

"Ahhh, I don't think so," Kurt replied, feeling a little flustered at their interest today. Usually one or both would fuss over him in class, dropping a compliment or two and the occasion wink, and he'd preen under their close attention. But today the guys seemed positively predatory and it made Kurt more than a little uncomfortable.

"I bet I can persuade you." Colin's steady gaze travelled down Kurt's body and back up again.

"Um-"

"Here, your stance is all wrong." Then suddenly Colin was behind him, a hair's breadth away with his hands on Kurt's hips, adjusting his angle. Warm breath ghosted past Kurt's ear as Colin made a husky offer. "You sure you don't want to meet up? I can make it worth your while." The fluttering in Kurt's stomach plummeted, sending dread shrieking up his spine. Was this how Blaine felt in this class? Having to watch them all flirting?

"No. Thank you," Kurt answered primly. "I'll have you know I'm still engaged." He shook off Colin's touch and stepped aside, shooting a glare at his partner.

"Okay, okay. Just checking." Colin held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Well don't," Kurt snapped. He kept his distance from Colin, and Raj, for the rest of the class, pausing at the end only to grab his bag and water bottle.

Kurt raced home to shower off the layer of sleaze that Colin had secreted, changed into his uniform and headed for his shift at the diner. He spent the entire subway ride morosely looking at his own shoes hoping that Blaine would pop in and surprise him at work as if it were any other Friday. They'd have dinner late and split a plate of fries during his break, catching up on gossip and news that they'd gleaned during the day. Blaine would pick a song on the jukebox and quietly serenade him in their corner booth and Kurt would smile so hard it'd hurt his face. Then, he'd lean over the table, avoiding their plates – a lesson he'd learned quickly – and press a kiss to Blaine's puckered lips, and everything would be right with the world once more.

The subway car lurched to a stop, shattering the illusion Kurt had carefully crafted. Jogging up the steps to the street, he checked his phone to make sure he hadn't missed a call from Blaine but the result was as it had been for the past twenty-four hours: No new messages.

Chapter 11: Wayward

Prompt: Kindred

Blaine managed to make it out of bed in the morning. He managed to listen to Artie as he rattled off a list of things Blaine could wear because his berry suit, Kurt's favorite, was currently bundled in a sopping ball inside a plastic bag. He managed not to curse when he found said plastic bag dumped on the floor by the front door. He even managed to finish a cup of coffee with Artie before his friend headed off to class. But instead of finding something to wear, instead of dealing with his ruined suit, instead of heading out to his own classes, Blaine found himself back under the covers and wide awake, thanks to the coffee.

In his makeshift nest made of sheets, he was visited by ghosts that he thought he'd left behind the year before. They whispered to him in his own voice.

_You knew this was going to happen._

_You didn't try hard enough. You'll never be good enough for him._

_How could he love someone like you?_

_They leave. They always leave. They say they love you but they still leave._

Blaine's struggled to get his breath back as he cried aloud, pouring out his pain in gasping sobs. He'd really thought that he and Kurt were kindred spirits. Soulmates even.

_But if that was really true, if Kurt was the ying to his yang, then how is it that he would choose to cause his soulmate this much pain? _

_Why would someone he loved want to hurt him like this?_

_Why would he, himself choose someone to love that would want to hurt him like this? _

And then a thought struck him.

_Is this how Kurt felt after their first break-up?_

The idea of this being their second break-up physically hurt Blaine. Leaving an undeniable ache deep in his chest that he wished he could claw out in an effort not to be in this pain but there was nothing that could change things. The words had been said. The deed done. Blaine was alone. Again. And he would just have to get used to it.

Chapter 12: Salvage

Prompt: Legacy

The phone call from Artie was his wake-up call, checking if the room was clear so he could bring a girl back. It forced Blaine out of bed and into a tasteful pair of chinos and a not so tasteful argyle sweater. A quick wash of his face and a wet comb through his hair to tame it as much as possible along with Artie's minimal hair product selection, and he was ready to go.

Blaine walked past the first subway station, wondering where on earth he was going to go. He couldn't go back to the loft to stay. He would only be in Kurt's way and, besides, he wasn't relishing seeing Kurt again either. It still hurt too much.

He walked in his still damp shoes until they felt like they were starting to blister, formulating a plan to grab what he needed and find a somewhere to stay for the night.

Sliding open the loft door wrenched at his heart afresh. Of course it was still and silent. Kurt was at work and they hadn't had roommates for months. Blaine wandered through the living area, his fingers trailing over the back of a chair on the way to the kitchen. Evidence of that Kurt had left in a hurry was everywhere. The lid to the cookie jar lay abandoned on the table and a half-eaten cookie had been left on the bench surrounded by crumbs. An empty ice cream tub was sticking out of the bin, and when Blaine opened the refrigerator he spotted a semi-demolished cheesecake complete with a fork in the tray. He supposed that Kurt also was upset about last night. After all, it wasn't everyday you dumped someone who was still head over heels for you, right?

Blaine grabbed a juice box from the fridge and headed for the bedroom to pack a bag. He pulled out his small suitcase and yanked open a drawer, tears already gathering in his eyes, making it hard to see. However, once he started carefully placing one pile of clothes and underwear on top of another, he found it difficult to stop.

_Why leave anything here? You'll just have to come back and get it later. And then you're bound to run into Kurt, which will only be more awkward. Better to take as much as possible now. _

He pulled out his other, larger, suitcase and started packing in earnest, pulling his stuff off the clothes rack and dumping them into the bag faster and faster until the fabric was nothing but a blur to his eyes. When he'd finished, Blaine took a look around, then started to gather his toiletries and the few photo frames that were his.

With that chore done, he sat on the edge of the bed and sucked on his drink's straw, letting the sweet juice recharge his rapidly draining energy. He was forgetting something, he realized. Shoes. Books. Records. School work. The Soda Stream machine. He sighed and his shoulders slumped. He needed shoes, and resolved to shove as many as possible into his already stuffed suitcases. The rest would have to be left behind until he could face coming back or speaking with Kurt but he'd have to pack up his project work and laptop so he had something for school, although he had no idea how he was going to face Kurt in class. His mind whirred trying to find a solution, wondering if he'd be able to talk his way into different classes. After all, Madam Tibideaux did have a soft spot for him.

Blaine finished up and took all his bags to the door, ready to go, but stopped to take one last look around. His gaze lingered on the piano and his fingers tingled with the desire to touch the keys, to give himself over to music but he found himself reluctant to move. If he let himself be comfortable here, now, he might never make it out the door. He cast another deep sigh as his hand found the loft door, sliding it open. The piano, and everything it had represented when he bought it, would be the legacy he'd leave behind here.

In another neighborhood and after struggling up another set of stairs with his luggage in tow, Blaine knocked on the door and hoped his earlier request of a favor would be honored.

"Hey! Welcome to the most fabulous ex-show choir half-way house you'll find between here and oooh...say Brooklyn."

"Hi, Elliot. Thanks for letting me sleep on your sofa."

Chapter 13: Retreat

Prompt: Midnight

"So you guys had another fight?" Elliot said eyeing the bags that Blaine had put down in the lounge hours earlier.

"Something like that." Blaine took another deep breath in, keeping his legs crossed in the sukhasana pose.

"Does Kurt know you're here?"

Blaine cracked an eye open and peered at Elliot who had transitioned into a half-twist on the floor beside him. "I thought we were supposed to be meditating," he said, half-joking, knowing that the conversation was inevitable but surprised at how inquisitive Elliot was being. It was the nice thing about hanging out with Elliot in times of stress. Regardless of how he got Blaine to relax (yoga, expanding their Glitter Rock Vampire ditty on the guitar into a rock opera or just doing shots), he never pressured him to talk. Until now.

"We can center ourselves _and_ talk." Blaine huffed a little as he clambered into the table pose before transitioning quickly into cat to catch up with Elliot.

"No, and I doubt that he'd care."

"Hah!" Elliot looked at him in disbelief and raised an eyebrow.

"I think we broke up." Blaine's chin began to wobble. Every time he said it out loud, it made it all the more real.

"Oh _shit_." Elliot slumped sideways to the floor. "Fuck yoga, man. This requires drinks. Lots of drinks. And a guitar."

Blaine hiccupped into a watery laugh and sat back on his heels. "Yeah. Okay."

Three hours and a demolished container of spring rolls later, Elliot helped Blaine get settled into his makeshift bed on the couch, having taken the last beer bottle away from him. As Elliot pulled a blanket over him, Blaine gripped his arm and said with boozy sincerity, "I know you're really Kurt's friend but thank you for letting me stay. And listening to me. And…And…_Thank you_."

"Don't even sweat it. Just…make sure you don't like, stay permanently, okay? This place is small enough already. I don't-"

"Oh, I won't. I promise." He let Elliot's arm go and made a clumsy cross over his heart.

Elliot chuckled. "Good night, B."

"'Night."

Blaine stared at the ceiling awash with flickering street lights at midnight as Elliot closed the door to his bedroom. Elliot didn't have anything to worry about. This couch was lumpy as hell. There was no way he'd be spending more than the weekend here. He wished he was in his own bed with soft pillows and the combined scent of their aftershaves and moisturizers on the sheets.

With his eyes closed, Blaine could imagine being there, like it was any other night. It was comforting, even if Kurt was nothing more than a distant lump on the other side of the bed. It was something that Blaine had become used to, keeping himself curled on his side of the bed, not reaching out for Kurt in the night. If he was lucky and they'd both forgotten to hold themselves back while sleeping, they'd wake up tangled together, overheated and turned on. They'd push and pull against each other, rubbing and gasping with sleepy abandon until they came. The sensation of it, moving against Kurt's body sent a sudden urge through him to throw off Elliot's blanket and run back to Buschwick. He'd beg and plead to be by his side once more because how could he live without him. How could he exist knowing that he hadn't done _everything_ he could to keep them together?

_How much more could you do? Haven't you given all of yourself to him? Hasn't he thrown that fact back in your face over and over again? _

_It's time to face facts. You wanted out as much as he did. You gave everything you could to him, more than he knew how to deal with, more than he knew how to return, and that's not good enough for you, right?_

_Right._

_You're allowed to have it all. To be happy. To be in love with someone who can love you back just as much. You're allowed that. All of it. _

_But I don't care. I just want Kurt. Why can't he love me the way that I love him? Why can't this work? Why?_

_Because it's over. That's why. So now what are you gonna do?_

On the coffee table, Blaine's phone dinged with a new message. He rolled over and stretched out, trying to drag it closer with his fingertips. Another ding came. And another. And another. Quickly, Blaine gave up and forced himself up so he could pick up the phone properly, hoping the noise wouldn't wake Elliot. Just as he gathered it up in his hand, the phone started to ring, blaring 'American Boy' for a split-second before Blaine swiped to take the call without seeing who was ringing.

"Hello?" He answered shakily.

"Bro! What the fuck? Artie told Tina who just told me that you and Kurt got in a big fight. I'm hurt, dude. You usually call _me_. But I guess this is your revenge for me moving back to Lima. Isn't it?"

Blaine exhaled in relief as he replied, "Sam."

"Are you guys okay?"

"No, Sam. We're not. We broke up."

Chapter 14: Recoil

Prompt: Needle

Friday night at the diner had been busy, although it didn't stop Kurt from fretting over Blaine's absence all night. The thought that Blaine was avoiding him worried him endlessly, like a needle working a tattoo of distress into his skin. However, he knew there was nothing he could do until he got home, confident that Blaine would be there even if he might not be in the best mood to talk things through. It was the longest they'd been apart this past year and it was unnerving. No matter how many times Kurt had considered throwing in the towel in the last few months; he'd never considered the reality of being without Blaine again or the idea that Blaine wouldn't want to be without him either. He tried to tamp down on the building anxiety as he climbed the stairs to his apartment but it was pointless. His stomach roiled uncomfortably when he slid back the front door, revealing a dark loft.

Kurt set down his satchel and keys on the hallway's kitsch console table he'd found at a flea market when he first got to the city. He strained his ears trying to hear the tell tale sounds of someone else but the loft was silent. Blaine was probably asleep. In an effort to steal his nerves, Kurt unlaced his boots and set them aside before padding across the floor to the kitchen to make some tea.

While waiting for the kettle to boil, he leaned against the bench and surveyed the dark apartment searching for signs of life. With the walls his father had helped put up instead of their old curtains dividers in place, Kurt could barely see into the bedroom. His gaze fell on a shape he supposed was Blaine, laying still in the dark. It would be nice to think that nothing had changed between them, that what they had wasn't bruised or broken, that he could go over there, slide into bed and everything would be right in the world, and with his family, again.

With the water boiling, Kurt set himself the task of making a cup of tea, noticing that the cookie jar and its lid was back in place. He hesitated for a moment but decided he'd make Blaine a cup as well. If he was to wake now, it would be a good time to finish their conversation and tea was bound to help.

Careful not to spill a drop, he made his way into their bedroom, focussing on finding his bedside table and setting down the cups.

"Blaine?" Kurt whispered, not wanting to startle him. "Blaine," he tried again in a low voice, as he tried to figure out what felt wrong in the dark room. "I'm just gonna turn on a light." Kurt fiddled with the lamp and clicked it on; taken aback at what was on his bed and who was missing from it.

The suitcase that held Bruce, the old boyfriend pillow he hadn't had occasion to use since the last time he was home sick with the 'flu, sat unopened on the bed without any sign of Blaine.

"Huh?"

Kurt grumbled to himself, picking up the bag to slide it back under the bed only to find a pair of suitcases missing. "Oh _no_." He quickly got to his feet and twisted around looking for anything of Blaine's that could put him at ease. He scanned the drawers but found only the ceramic phrenology head and the silver art deco sun clock but Blaine's gel, his deodorant, and the trio of library books that were stacked on his bedside table only that morning were all missing. Panic shot through Kurt as he lunged towards the drawers, yanking them open to find them bare of bowties, underwear or polo shirts. He whirled around to check the clothes rack and realized that most of Blaine's blazers were gone too. He stumbled backward in shock, slumping down on the edge of the bed. Blaine had left him, he realized numbly. How could it have come to this? How could Blaine do this to him?

"Because I _asked_ him to," he whined before breaking into broken sob. Kurt flopped back on the bed and flung his arm across his face, crying into the crook of his elbow. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he wailed to himself and groped in his pocket to pull out his phone. He swiped at his eyes to see the keyboard and typed out one text after another, not giving himself a chance to think about what he was tapping out on screen.

_I can't believe you're gone. Where are you? I hope you're safe. Please be safe._

_You left without saying anything. You left, Blaine. You left me. _

_Blaine. God, Blaine. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please believe me._

_I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you._

Chapter 15: Adjustment

Prompt: Occasion

Once Kurt had heard from Elliot and confirmed through him that Blaine would collect the rest of his things during the week, he had to find a roommate to help pay the rent. Thankfully, one of the new waiters at the diner, Luis, took one look at the place and squealed with joy, making the call to move in almost immediately.

"I've just been through a messy break-up," Luis said airily while he looked around.

"Oh? Me too," Kurt replied less enthusiastically.

The petite, camp waiter struck a pose in the spare room's doorway and pouted playfully. "This is ah-maz-zing! And I need a fresh start. How 'bout you?"

"Definitely."

"So I can move in on the weekend?"

"Yeah. Yes. Sounds perfect actually." In response, Kurt got another squeal and then a tight hug before Luis sang his goodbye and flitted out of the apartment. Kurt giggled and then caught himself, putting on his game face in order to box up the last of Blaine's stuff.

It had been days since he'd seen Blaine at school and he wondered exactly what he was up to, and if he was okay. Elliot had mentioned that Blaine had made the call to his parents, to help him find a place that he could afford so he could move on from Elliot's killer couch. Kurt had wanted to offer his help but respected Blaine's decision to keep his distance. He figured his ex-boyfriend would reach out sooner or later, and when he did, Kurt would gladly take his call regardless of the occasion because through everything, Blaine was still his best friend.

Chapter 16: Petition

Prompt: Please

"Madam Tibideaux- C-Carmen, _please_."

"Mister Anderson, I have done everything I can to accommodate you but there is no way for you to switch classes so late in the semester. Now, I suggest you sort out whatever squabble you have on your hands so that you can finish out the school year. Of course if you still feel the same in the a few months time, you'll be free to enrol in whatever classes you wish."

"But Madam Tibideaux, I-I just can't face him."

"Let me be clear, Blaine. If this is an issue for the school's disciplinary board, we'll do all we can to help and support you but if this is a simple matter of a personal relationship breakdown, then my hands are tied."

Chapter 17: Malfunction

Prompt: Rent

"Mom," Blaine stated boldly. "Mom, listen. I've come so far since then. Things are much better now."

He thought back to the days that became weeks of hiding in his room. Hiding from his new roommate. Hiding from Kurt. From his friends. From the world at large. Those weeks had turned into months until he could hide no more and his secret shame was revealed to his parents. They had come for him after NYADA returned their check for the new term's tuition along with a letter stating that Blaine had not only failed to complete his course load, but he'd failed to meet with a senior school representative when summoned and as a result he'd been removed from the program.

He'd ended up moving home, back to his childhood bedroom. Back to Ohio. Back to where it had all started. Back to where he had put himself back together twice before. And like those times he used the tools that he knew worked; Dalton and music.

"Mom, it's time to let me try," he said quietly, grasping her hands in his.

"I'm so proud of you, Blainey."

He shot her a wry smile. "You say that now but wait until I ask you to help with the rent," he joked.

Chapter 18: Relocation

Prompt: Scarf

It's Sam who surprised him with the idea over beers and a bowl of stale peanuts that Blaine has steadfastly ignored all night.

"Well, why not? Dave needs a roommate, and you need an apartment. You guys both root for the same team." Sam took one look at Blaine's surprised expression and explained himself. "No, no. Bro, I meant the Buckeyes, but yeah, that too."

"But Sam, it's Karofsky. Even you took a swing at the guy, right?"

Sam picked up his bottle and swirled the amber liquid inside for a moment. "Look, he's not the guy he was at McKinley. High school was… It feels like a million years ago. So much has changed since then."

Blaine had to agree with his best friend on that one. He took a swig from his own beer and listened as Sam continued.

"He got his scholarship, you know?"

Blaine shook his head because, no, he didn't know. Didn't care. Without the need to be protective of Kurt, Karofsky never crossed his mind.

"Yeah, he's at Ohio State. Shit…he's probably on the team. Do ya think he'd get us tickets?" Sam asked, sidetracked for a second as Blaine shrugged. "He's different now. We're _all_ different now," Sam said pensively. "The people we were in high school, that's not all we are. It's like…that's a part of us but not the sum total of who we are now or who we'll be in the future." He paused, twisting his drink in his hand. "I see him sometimes at TGIF, getting a drink or whatever. He's always got a new guy like, on his arm. Sometimes they're older. Like, _way_ older. But sometimes they're not. Anyways, I just figured that it would be easier, knowing that your roommate approved or at least didn't disapprove if you brought guys home and stuff."

Blaine hummed and took another drink. "Two things. No, three actually. One – I'm not ready to _see_ anyone, Sam. Two – You're talking like he'd be happy living with _me_, of all people. And three – it'd be kinda weird. The only things we have in common is the fact that yeah, we like football, and guys and well…Kurt. I don't know if that's enough. Or, or the right kind of things in common or whatever. But either way – it's weird."

"It doesn't have to be weird. It's only as weird as you make it."

"Sam, there's no way it can't not be weird."

His friend sighed and picked at the damp label on his bottle. "Your choice. Hey, weird's a weird word, right? When you say it over and over?"

Blaine smiled at Sam before turning his attention to an old guy sitting at the bar by himself, losing himself in another drink. "Screw it, I'll talk to him."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Maybe it'll be good to be around someone who knows me but doesn't have uh, expectations about me. Doesn't care why I'm back here."

Sam took a long look at him. "You're not the only one trying to put something, or someone, behind him, B. Maybe you and Dave have more in common than you think."

Blaine shrugged. He took another look around and leaned in to whisper, "This place sucks."

"I know," Sam said with a grin. "But the drinks are cheap. We could get some dinner," he suggested.

"Here?" Blaine asked dubiously.

"Nah, there's a diner up the road."

"Oh. Yeah, I could eat."

"Well let's blow this popsicle stand then. Don't forget your scarf. There ain't no lost and found 'round here." Sam winked at him and slid off his bar stool to pull on his own jacket. "Hey, did you pick up our costumes for the party tomorrow night?"

"Uh huh. This is gonna be the best Halloween ever."

Chapter 19: Reincarnation

Prompt: Twist

"Sorry 'bout last night. We got kinda loud," Dave apologized as he filled the sink with hot water.

Blaine shrugged and set up the dish rack before flicking the dishtowel over his shoulder. "That's okay," he said easily. "I was online with Sam and Artie anyway. Battlefield 4."

"Yeah? You guys get past the sniper yet?"

Blaine grinned. "Totally. Artie took him out."

"Cool," Dave said admiringly. Outside, in the driveway, Dave's date waved goodbye as he got into his car and started it.

"So….uh, he's _different_ to what I expected," Blaine said hesitatingly. He'd been surprised by the middle aged heavy-set man he'd found wandering back from the bathroom this morning.

"Because he's older?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"I go to this club sometimes. They specialize in um, like, bears and stuff."

Blaine felt his mouth twist as his face scrunched up in thought. "Like a leather night at Scandals-type club?"

"Kinda. But all the time."

"So, is that what you prefer?" Blaine asked, nodding towards the car backing down the drive. "Or do you go there because of the bear cub thing?"

Dave washed the plate in hands thoroughly before answering, "Both, I guess. It's nice to be with someone who makes you feel safe and besides with bigger guys, it makes me feel kinda small, I guess. Like, not dainty but…uh. I dunno." He splashed the soapy water in frustration of not being able to explain properly. He sighed and confessed. "It turns me on knowing that they could overpower me but they won't because they're protective at the same time."

Blaine squeezed his arm as a comfort. "I get it. That's… Yeah, that's definitely something I…understand. Feeling safe is…nice."

"Can I ask something personal?" Dave shot a quick glance at him while placing another clean plate on the rack. Blaine nodded, expecting a question about Kurt. Their past relationship hadn't really come up as a talking point other than a quick reference to the fact that they'd broken up.

"Are you a bottom?"

Blaine laughed in astonishment. "No, not all the time. I'm versatile. I like topping. A lot. But I'm..." He laughed. "I'm a bit of a power bottom." He smiled as Dave side-eyed him in bewilderment. "What?" He said with a laugh and flicked the towel at him.

"Nothing. I'm just surprised, is all." Dave bit his lower lip for a moment, deep in thought as he rinsed out one glass after another. "So, it wouldn't matter if I was um, a…um, a bottom?"

"Not at all. Not if that's what you enjoy." Blaine nudged his roommate's arm playfully while Dave studied the sink in depth. "Have you tried topping?"

Dave shook his head. He hesitated but then admitted, "I didn't want to hurt anybody." Blaine's mouth opened then closed, unsure of what to say. "I didn't know what I was doing, in the beginning. At Scandals, I approached plenty of younger, smaller guys and we'd fool around and stuff, but when it got down to business, I didn't know how to, ya know, without hurting them or…or squashing them. And I didn't want to lose it and just like, pin them down or something, so I just…didn't. It was easier doing it the other way, and there were plenty of guys, older guys especially, who liked that. And it turns out that I really like that so it never became a big deal."

"Oh. Well, as long as you're comfortable, that's all that matters, right?"

"Sure." They both concentrated on the getting the rest of the dishes done and stayed silent for a few minutes until Blaine decided to recount his coffee date with Rachel.

"And then she said, 'you don't need a degree for that?'" He parroted his friend's earlier comments. Dave sniggered to himself and kept scrubbing the cutlery.

"It's not funny," Blaine grumbled as he picked up a glass to dry.

"It's a little funny." His roommate shot him a grin as he pulled the plug to let the water drain away. "But if it bothers you, do something about it."

"You need to be in _school_ to get a degree."

"So. Go back to school."

"I'm not going back to NYADA," Blaine said resolutely.

"I'm not talking about _that_. OSU is right here." He gestured out the window. "I bet you could get into Patton easily enough, and then you could get your diploma while you're doing the real thing at Dalton. Teachers need to do practical sessions anyway, right? And you're already living a couple of miles away from both schools. It's a no brainer."

Blaine raised his eyebrows to himself as he put the last of the plates away. Pursing his lips, he leaned back against the counter. "You think so?"

"Shit Blaine, if I can get into the Journalism program, you can totally become a teacher. What have you got to lose?" Dave asked seriously and when no answer was forthcoming while he wiped down the bench, he said, "Nothing. That's what. Come in with me on Monday and talk with the Dean. If they won't accept you as a late applicant, then at least you know where you stand."

"Okay."

"Yeah? Alright! C'mon, man. Let's go kick some ass in Battlefield." Dave took the dishtowel from Blaine's hands and tossed it on the bench, and then grabbed his hand, towing him into the lounge. Blaine giggled as Dave pushed down on his shoulders forcefully, making him collapse on one of their bean bags. He righted himself and wriggled about, trying to get his bunched up shirt back into place while Dave threw a controller at him and got the game set up.

"You ready?" Dave asked with a grin after lowering himself into a second bean bag.

"Ready!" Blaine replied enthusiastically and shot him a wink back.

Chapter 20: Proof Of Life

Prompt: Uniform

"What is this?" Sam motioned to the cabinet where Blaine's Dalton blazer hung behind glass doors. "Break in case of a uniform emergency?" Blaine chuckled and leaned back on his desk, letting it take his weight as his best friend opened the cabinet and pulled the jacket out. "Because _this_ might constitute as an emergency," Sam said with a pointed look to the room beyond the doorway.

Blaine's expression darkened for a moment before he brushed the comment off. "It's not like that, Sam," he said, sighing.

"It should be," Sam declared passionately, advancing on him with the blazer. "The last time Kurt was at here, he was accepting your proposal. And now he's out there again – single - and you're hiding in here with me."

"I am _not_ hiding." He stood and held out his arm to let Sam help him into the jacket. "And what does it matter if he's single when I'm not? It's time to face facts, Sam – we've both moved on."

"Uh, _no_. Why d'ya think he's here? He came back for _you_."

Blaine huffed as he buttoned his jacket. "He's the one that wanted this, Sam. Besides, I'm not breaking up with Dave just because he's here, okay? Regardless of why he came back." He did a quick turn in front of his friend. "How do I look?"

"Like you're about to make him fall in love with you all over again."

A ghost of a smile passed over his lips as Blaine adjusted his cuffs and tried to dismiss the foolish flutter of hope budding inside him.

_It doesn't mean anything. It doesn't have to mean anything. _

His group of Warblers were in formation outside his office waiting for him to lead them into a performance for Kurt, Rachel and the other McKinley alums, and he wasn't about to let his students or his friends down.

Blaine took a deep breath and opened his office door, stilling the chatter on the other side immediately. Sam quickly slipped past him to go and stand behind their already seated group of friends, unsubtly pointing at Kurt.

He couldn't risk looking directly at Kurt; instead he shot a quick glance at his Warbler's lead to start them off. As they started to build the harmony, Blaine took three confident steps and placed himself in front, commanding attention. Singing the first notes, Blaine could see exactly what Sam had been alluding to. Kurt looked undeniably stunning, bookended by Rachel and Santana on the leather couch. His gaze was nothing short of wistfully hungry, slowly devouring every inch of Blaine until finally their eyes met and Blaine knew the battle was over.

_This means everything._

Chapter 21: Air Supply

Prompt: Vacation

"This is ridiculous!" Blaine knocked his head back against the elevator's steel wall in defeat.

"Still no signal," Kurt said, eyeing the time on his cell phone. Fifteen minutes had passed since they'd gotten stuck in auditorium's lift and tried to call for help using the emergency phone only to find it was connected to an answering service which stated the technician was on vacation. Kurt slipped his phone back into his discarded jacket's pocket and eased his legs out in front of him from his seat on the floor. He probably shouldn't have worn such tight pants today but, knowing that Blaine was also going to be here at the Invitationals, he couldn't resist playing up the one asset he knew Blaine could never keep his eyes off of.

"I hate this," Blaine grumbled.

"At least you're with me," Kurt said with a wry smile, trying to lighten the mood, "And not with Santana." Blaine slumped into a disheartened heap on the floor and hummed noncommittally. Kurt pressed his lips together at his ex-fiancé's nonplussed reaction and considered how he might get things back to the flirty-coy place they were before the elevator doors closed on them. He decided to start with the friendly rivalry that had been an easy fall-back from their first meeting at Dalton years earlier. "You do know your lead is practically your doppelgänger, right?"

Blaine shook his head in amused confusion, his eyebrows already rising. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Your lead Warbler," Kurt confirmed. "It's eerie, actually. If I squint just a little, he could almost be you, singing to me all over again." He chanced a quick glance at Blaine who seemed to be caught off-guard, his hazel eyes flicking away guiltily. "Except for one thing, of course," he said airily. "He doesn't have your tone… It's not as rich or…" Kurt looked down for a moment, thinking about how Blaine's voice affected him almost as much as being serenaded by a handsome boy in a blazer that day. "…heartfelt."

"…Kurt-"

"It's… It's a shame we're stuck in here. I really wanted-" Kurt took a deep breath, wanting to do so much more than simply hint at how much he still loved Blaine. "I wanted you to hear New Directions sing. T-to hear _what_ they were singing," he corrected himself.

The silence hung heavy between them as Kurt lifted his eyes to find Blaine's closed and hands wrapped around his knees protectively. Kurt ached to touch him. To reach out and ease the terrible want that he'd been walking around with for months. Kurt lifted his hand, reaching to find Blaine's but stopped short. He swallowed hard and withdrew it, letting his sweaty palm settle against his own thigh.

Blaine drew in a shaky breath, breaking the quiet with an almost whisper, "What-? Kurt… What are they singing?" Kurt swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up, wishing that this could be easier, wishing that he could wear his heart on his sleeve so easily like Blaine once had, wishing that all the petty things that had brought them here had never taken place. He closed his eyes and let his heart run his mouth, hoping it would be enough.

"That- That I'm _lost_ without you," he said brokenly and was answered by a desperate, quick sob from Blaine. "That I am _still_ so. In. Love. With _you_." A harsh sniff from Blaine jolted him back to awareness. "I know that you-you've moved on but I don't know how. No, I don't _want_ to know how." Kurt's lower lip trembled but he continued, flashing Blaine a watery smile he didn't see. "You're the only man I have ever loved and I- I don't want to break my promise to you."

Blaine glanced up as tears fell, dripping down his cheeks. Mouth down-turned, he shook his head, not comprehending what Kurt was referring to.

"I'm _never_ saying goodbye to you," Kurt said fiercely as Blaine's mouth dropped open in understanding. Kurt sniffled and realized how that could be interpreted. "Sorry, that sounds kinda creepy." Blaine laughed, water-logged and croaky, his eyes sparkling even as his chin started to tremble again.

"That's-" He hung his head and paused for a second, before lifting his gaze to meet Kurt's. "I don't want you to, Kurt."

Kurt smiled in relief. "Maybe after the show we can take the kids out to celebrate. An after party, of sorts," he suggested.

"No. I want to go back to-" Blaine stopped himself and looked away. "We've got to get out of here. I need to talk to Dave."

"Oh." Kurt's brow creased with disappointment.

"About us."

"Us?"

Blaine nodded and looked at Kurt hopefully.

"Oh, please dear god, yes."

Chapter 22: Buoyancy

Prompt: Wedding

Tangled amongst what had once been crisp white sheets, they lay together, fingers intertwined, chests heaving and hearts soaring.

"I can't believe they're actually gonna get married."

"Ugh. We'll have to go to their wedding."

"You're not happy for them?"

"Of course I am."

"But…"

"But- But _we_ were supposed to get married first!"

"Except you didn't want to when I wanted to."

"Are you gonna hold that over my head forever?"

"Uh, yeah. At least until you actually _marry_ me."

"Do you- Do you still want to marry me?"

"I want nothing more, Kurt."

"…I think that can be arranged."

Chapter 23: Endurance

Prompt: Year

"It's been a helluva year," Burt sighed, taking his cap off to scratch his bald head as he sat at the end of Kurt's bed. His son looked up from the laundry he was folding on the bed, surrounded by neat piles of outfits stacked up in some indiscernible pattern. "I never thought you'd come back. To stay."

Kurt studied the shirt he was holding pensively, his lips pursed. "A lot of things happened that I never thought would happen."

"Breaking up with Blaine?"

"Mmm. And Finn. And Rachel moving to L.A. And Blaine being with Dave. And Santana with the wedding." He sighed and dropped the shirt, walking away to the closet to fuss with his ties on the rack. "Nothing's turned out like I thought it would, dad."

"That's life, kiddo. Sometimes you've just gotta play with the cards that you've been dealt to the best of your abilities."

"Except…life _isn't_ a hand of Go Fish."

"No, it's not," he conceded. "More like Poker. The stakes are higher an' everyone's playing by different rules."

Kurt rolled his eyes and went back to matching ties up against his navy blue dinner jacket.

"This wedding thing has got you down, huh?"

"I guess."

"At least you boys are back together. That's a step in the right direction."

"It is."

"And it's not like you have to rush down the aisle this minute, right?"

Kurt hummed noncommittally.

Burt sighed. "Because I gotta tell you, kid, I think that'd be a mistake. You've both got a heap of stuff to work out before you get that serious again."

"I know, dad."

"Do you? 'Cos here you are trying pack right under my nose like I'm some kind of stupid."

Kurt jerked around to look at him wide eyed, his cheeks burning with embarrassment at being discovered. "I'm not- I don't-" He huffed to himself and said quietly, "I don't think you're stupid."

"Except you think I'd be okay with you sneaking off today an' getting married without us. I thought family mattered, Kurt."

"It _does_. You _do_," he insisted. "The thing is, it's supposed to be Brit and Santana's day and w-we didn't want to ruin that by hogging the spotlight." Burt snorted in amusement as Kurt lumbered on in explanation. "So we thought we'd pack our suits and slip off during the reception."

"Except I found out."

"H-how?"

"Santana and her Mexican third eye or somethin'." His son grumbled under his breath. "Look, Kurt. I don't understand why it has to be today-"

"Because we're in _love_, dad. Because we've _never_ been out of love with each other. All he's ever _wanted_ is to be my husband, and all I've _ever_ wanted is for him to be happy, so this is probably the easiest compromise I've had to make in my entire life. It's win/win."

"Except for Carole an' me, and Blaine's parents too."

"I know. I know," Kurt groaned, coming to sit down beside him. "It's not a perfect plan."

Burt slung his arm around his son's shoulders. "Like I was saying before, I don't know why it has to be today _but_ if this is what – and who – you want, I'm not gonna stand in your way."

"Thank you," his son breathed out gratefully.

"Hang on, Kurt. Santana and Brittany have an idea and I think you should hear them out. They're waiting out downstairs. Blaine and his mom too."

"What the-?"

"Kurt, there's nothing that would make me happier than walking you down the aisle, so I need you to do me a favor an' just hear 'em out. It might not be everything you wanted for today but like you said; this might be the easiest compromise you ever make."

His son nodded thoughtfully. "Okay."

Chapter 24: Legendary

Prompt: Zig Zag

Blaine smiled to himself, the hotel pillow bunched up beneath his head as he lay sideways in bed next to his new husband. Beside him, Kurt snuffled into his own pillow, sleepiness invading their afterglow.

"Hey," Blaine whispered and pressed a lingering kiss to Kurt's bare shoulder. His husband hummed and twisted a little to catch Blaine's eye. "Have I told you how much I love you today?"

"Tell me again?" A coy smile played at the corner of Kurt's mouth.

"Well..." Blaine thought of the box tucked away in his bedroom closet and decided to come clean. "As it turns out I love you _so_ much that my wish came true."

Kurt chuckled into the pillowcase. "What?"

Blaine ducked his head bashfully and bit his lip. "When I first came back here I was a mess," he paused to let Kurt free a hand and grab at his, pulling it towards him to kiss his knuckles. "I needed something to focus on and well, you know how I love crafts and origami..." He grinned as Kurt answered with an indulgent smile. "I'd read about the legend of a thousand cranes. You know it?" Kurt shook his head. "Okay, so if you fold a thousand paper cranes your wish is supposed to come true."

Kurt sighed happily, his fingers still intertwined with Blaine's. "I'm your wish?"

Blaine looked down again, thinking of how hopeless things had seemed at the time and how much had changed since then. He gave a half shrug. "Actually...I wished that you'd find happiness," he mumbled. He smiled, his eyes rolling as Kurt's face flushed a pleased pink.

"Get outta here," Kurt said with a chuckle. "You did not," he teased.

"I _did_," Blaine insisted. "They're in rainbow colours, in a big box at home."

Kurt giggled and rolled his eyes playfully. "Of course they are."

"I'll prove it to you," said Blaine and rolled off the bed, heading for his tuxedo jacket pocket. "See?" He held a small red crane aloft resolutely.

"Lemme see that." His husband held out his hand, wiggling his fingers.

"This?" said Blaine, cocking his hip, putting his nudity on display.

Kurt laughed again. "Soon," he said confidently. "C'mere." He patted the messy bed in encouragement.

Blaine grinned in reply and sauntered back to the bed, crawling to rest alongside his husband. He pushed the sheet down to pool at Kurt's waist and set the crane sailing on the sea of his husband's skin, making it zig zag until it washed ashore on his shoulder. "See?"

"Isn't it bad luck to split the flock?" Kurt asked quietly, taking the folded bird from his fingers.

Blaine shrugged. "This is the thousand and first little fella - for good luck today. He was with us the whole time. Saw everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything," he confirmed.

"Well, he didn't have a very good view from there. He'd better see it again, close up this time," said Kurt, reaching past Blaine to set the crane upon the bedside table. He quickly resettled and took Blaine's hand back in his. "I take you, Blaine Devon Anderson, to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"For better or worse..."

"In sickness and health..."

"To have and to hold..."

"From this day forward."

"...You may kiss your husband."

"That's more like it," quipped Kurt as he leaned in, lips soft, ready for more, ready for everything.

Epilogue: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

The chatter of wedding guests was lost amongst clinking of glasses and laughter from the next table over. Burt eased himself into a empty chair that he pulled up next to Blaine's mom, opposite their sons.

"We've never interfered with your relationship before," Pam Anderson started to say.

"An' we're not gonna start now," Burt chimed in. "But given how fast things have moved in the past few weeks, we-"

"We just want you to be happy, boys."

"With that being said, we've gotten you an unusual wedding present."

Blaine looked at his new husband curiously but Kurt shrugged helplessly.

"Look, both you kids have been left behind in your lives." Burt took a long look at Blaine's mom and then spoke directly to Blaine. "When Kurt lost his mother at eight, her death hit us both hard, but where I learned to trust in love again, he learned to expect the worst from life. For better or for worse, that's what he carries with him every day; waiting for the people he loves to leave him. That fear has shaped him; he'll walk away first so he cannot be left, and he'll keep moving forward in order to not look back and dwell on the pain. Both of those things have drawbacks – leaving means never having to listen to your partner and work through the tough times, and not looking back means the same mistake is all the more likely to be repeated again and again."

"Da-ad," Kurt complained but Pam took over, addressing him frankly.

"When Blaine's dad left, our whole world turned upside down. At ten years old, his big brother left for college and I went back to work after his dad and I divorced. Instead of seeing him every day, it became a lousy two days a week that I dreaded because for all the excitement he had about going, he came home disappointed every time. There was never enough time for Blaine. That's something I'm guilty of as well. He was _always_ my priority but more than anything that meant working hard to keep everything as normal as possible, for him. But that kind of love wasn't what Blaine craved. For better or worse, that's something that Blaine still worries about; that the people he loves won't love him back. That fear has shaped him; he works too hard for acceptance from the wrong people, and he dwells on the past trying to figure out how he could be more, somehow. Obviously, there are issues with both of these things – he's optimistic to a fault which means he'll put up with more than he should, and he'll always look to himself for fault first so he finds asking for what he needs difficult."

"Mom, this isn't-"

"We want you boys to be happy," Burt repeated.

"And we want your marriage go the distance," Pam added.

"Which is why we've brought you a bunch of marriage counselling sessions."

"WHAT?" Kurt exploded as Blaine choked.

"And a honeymoon," Pam said with a grin. "A week in Martinique."

"Oh my _god_," Blaine said in shock.

"Best we could on such short notice," Burt said with a wink as matching grins bloomed over both his son's faces.

"Guys, this is too much," said Blaine. "And you don't have to worry about us." He looked to Kurt, gripping his hand tight. "I left my heart in your hands, and today you gave me yours to keep."

"Nothing would make me happier than to spend a lifetime in your arms," said Kurt, looking fit to burst with joy. His new husband leaned in to share a soft kiss, and Burt and Pam shared a sideways glance and a smile, deciding silently to give them a moment to revel in their commitment to each other.

_Fin_


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